Haiti / Tijuana

This is a summary of what we have learned so far from our son, Peter, who is the Deputy Regional Security Officer at the American Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

When the earthquake struck, he was in his house which is two blocks up the hill from the Montana Hotel which has been featured on the news because of the rescue of several people from its collapse. He wisely ran outside in only shorts and sandals, but then went back in to get some shoes. Three other houses around his had collapsed or fallen over the cliff. This is a better area where diplomats and more well-to-do people live. A doctor lived in the house next to his. Pete has a private swimming pool behind his house, but they are all situated on a cliff. He saw that a house two doors away from him had collapsed and he knew some embassy employees lived there, six people in all. He spent six hours helping to dig them out of the debris. Five survived. He also came upon a woman trapped in rubble. A military person who was there said that it was too dangerous to try to rescue her because the whole area was in danger of collapse and he left. Pete and a Haitian guard decided to try anyway and they were able to free her. Somehow he managed to get to the embassy and eventually get a text message to Roxana that he was ok. This was followed by email messages and finally phone calls when he was able to talk to the boys also.

He went back to where his house is remarkably still standing. He didn't go in because he felt it was unsafe. He has been going out on various missions and has had little sleep and what he has had has been on the chair in his office. He is eating military rations. His boss said that he doesn't know how long they can keep this up with so little sleep. Many Americans are now camped out at the embassy (Peter estimates about 600 people), which doesn't have any facilities for so many people. There are only three bathrooms.

On a positive note, Pete got a call from the State Department that his next assignment would be Tijuana, Mexico. That was one of the places on his request list. Not his top choice, but not the worst either. The boys will go to school in San Diego, right over the border. He will have to go to Washington for up to six months of language training and they will have to decide whether Roxana will stay in Florida so that the boys can stay in the same school, or uproot them to three different schools for the transition period. Ten year old Anthony would rather go to three schools so that they can all be together. He has been rather afraid for his father, although he doesn't show much emotion. He has been watching all of this tragedy unfold on TV and has confessed to having some nightmares.

The State Department asked if there was anything they could do for him now and Peter said, "Yes, send me to Barbados." That was another place on his list. I guess they didn't want to do that.

Pete told Roxana that he will try to call us today or tomorrow. We are very proud of what he is doing, but are still concerned for his safety. We ask for everyone's prayers for him and for this unbelievable tragedy in Haiti. I will post updates as more information becomes available.